FILM · 1991 · INDIA
Saudagar
46 archived facts 2 topics 1 source Last reviewed Oct 2026
32 Interesting Facts About Saudagar
- #001
When Raaj Kumar arrived on set, he noticed that Dilip Kumar's character spoke Hindi with a U. P. Bihari dialect. This angered him, since he would speak normal Hindi in the film and no one had told him about Dilip's character's Hindi. He told Subash Ghai he would leave the film right there and return to Bombay. Subhash Ghai had to persuade Raaj Kumar to stay in the film for two hours. Ghai reasoned that Raaj Kumar's character was rich and noble while Dilip's was a weak subordinate character. Hearing this, Raaj Kumar finally softened and stayed in the film.
- #002
Both legends, Dilip Kumar and Raj Kumar, were greatly impressed by the music.
- #005
The film was screened at the Robson Square Theatre in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, due to heavy public demand. Saudagar had been released on home video in August 1991. Later, it premiered at the Robson Square Theatre in November 1992. Films would be shown there every weekend until May 1993. From May 1993, Hindi films were shown at a recently renovated theatre at 3215 Kingsway in Vancouver, British Columbia. It would now be known as the Regal Theatre until May 1997.
- #007
First Love Letter (1991) was completed long before Saudagar. While Subash Ghai was introducing Vivek Mushran and Manisha Koirala in the film, producer Pahlaj Nilhani had to wait months for his film to be released.
- #008
Despite all the problems between Amitabh and Subhash Ghai during Devaa, Amitabh came and gave the mahurat clap for Saudagar. Coincidentally, in 1991 Amitabh Bachchan won the Best Actor award for the role of Hum, which was given to him by Raj Kumar.
- #009
As Subhash Ghai also stated, many people told him it was impossible for him to cast Dilip Kumar and Raj Kumar in this film because they had not spoken to each other for decades. Nevertheless, he tried his luck. He first persuaded Dilip Kumar, with whom he had worked on Vidhata and had a good relationship. When he approached Raj Kumar, he liked the script, and since Ghai was a hit filmmaker in those days, Raj Kumar was willing to work with him. When Ghai told him about the other role Dilip Kumar would play, Raj Kumar paused and said that after himself he loved Dilip Kumar as an actor alone and that only he could do justice to that role. However, Ghai also states that all was not well between the two veterans and that therefore all the happy scenes, dances and celebrations between them were shot first.
- #012
Salman Khan was offered the film but it did not happen.
- #013
Subhash Ghai wanted to launch Bobby Deol in Saudagar. Dharemendra refused because he wanted to launch Bobby himself.
- #014
Manisha Koirala refused to do a horse-riding scene after seeing that the road was bad and asked for a duplicate. Subash Ghai was furious at the last-minute changes. However, he later agreed to shoot with a duplicate. Manisha Koirala later fell from the horse while doing this scene and injured herself.
- #015
Archana Puran Singh was not happy with her role in the film.
- #019
After Bairaag, Yusuf Saab took a 5-6 year break before making his comeback with Kranti. Similarly, after Saudagar he took another 5-6 year break and returned with Qila.
- #022
Manisha Koirala was set to make her screen debut in the long-delayed Anokha Andaz (1989), and she made her debut in that film.
- #023
It is the only film for which Subash Ghai won the Best Director award at the 1992 Filmfare Awards.
- #024
Subash Ghai and Manisha Koirala had an argument around the time of the film's release. Subash Ghai wanted her to speak to the media, but Manisha Koirala was not comfortable because of the negative things they had written about her. Subash Ghai said something to Manisha Koirala, and after an argument she and her mother left the venue.
- #025
It is the only film Subash Ghai made with Manisha Koirala and Raj Kumar.
- #026
Actor Jeetu Verma was the horse-riding instructor for Manisha Koirala and Vivek Mushran.
- #027
The film was released in cinemas in Canada in 1992, driven by huge public demand. Its premiere was held in the autumn of 1992, a year after its release in India.
- #029
Dev Anand has been Subhash Ghai's favourite star since childhood. Subhash Ghai could not even imagine making a film with Dev Anand, because for him Dev Anand was the Big Star.
- #030
Amitabh Bachchan starred in the 1973 film Saudagar, directed by Sudhendu Roy. Seventeen years later he performed the mahurat clap for Subhash Ghai's Saudagar. Dilip Kumar was nominated for Best Actor for Saudagar and lost the award to Amitabh Bachchan's Hum. Coincidentally, Amitabh Bachchan received the Best Actor award at the 37th Filmfare Awards ceremony from Raaj Kumar, the other lead actor of this film.
- #031
Emraa Khan sent his photographs to Subhash Ghai for Saudagar. Subhash liked the photographs but never committed to signing him.
- #032
It was Vivek Mushran's first film.
- #033
Vivek Mushran got a second chance to work with the legendary Raj Kumar in the 1993 film Insaniyat Ke Devta.
- #034
Vivek Mushran and Manisha Koirala appeared in four films together: Saudagar (1991), Ilk Aşk Mektubu (1991), Insaniyat Ke Devta (1993) and Sanam (1997).
- #035
The film's grand premiere was held at Plaza Cinema in Dadar, Mumbai.
- #037
This version of the song Imli Ka Boota - III appeared only on some versions of the film's audio release.
- #038
Govind Namdeo was set to make his screen debut in the film, but his role was cut on the editing table because of the film's length. The film ran four hours, and it was suggested to Subash Ghai that he edit out Govind Namdeo's role entirely.
- #040
Subhash Ghai came across Avinash Wadhawan's audition tape in his office. He called him in for a meeting, but looking at his massive personality, he felt Wadhawan looked too old to play a twenty-one-year-old. He therefore cast Vivek Mushran.
- #041
Before the song Imli Ka Buta, Raj Kumar and Dilip Kumar splashed colour on each other. Dilip Kumar told Subhash Ghai that he wore contact lenses and that colour getting into his eyes could damage them, and asked him to pass the same message on to Rajkumar. Rajkumar, however, deliberately splashed colour on his face and angered Dilip Kumar.
- #042
Dilip Kumar and Raj Kumar set aside their 32-year feud to work on this film. On the 1959 film Paigham, Raj Kumar slapped Dilip Kumar so hard for a scene that Dilip Kumar decided never to work with him again.
- #043
Actor Prashant Narayan was one of the film's assistant directors.
- #044
After seeing her photographs from a Rakesh Shrestha photo shoot, Madhuri Dixit suggested Manisha Koirala's name to Subash Ghai.
- #046
Prashant Narayanan worked on the film as an assistant art director and designed the entire set. For the iconic scene in which Dilip Kumar and Raj Kumar splash colour on each other, he was the one holding the tray full of colours between them.
Continue through the archive
Sources & editorial notes
Reference databases
Sources for the entries on this page
- IMDb IMDb kaydı
Information from external sources is independently selected, consolidated and edited by Arka Evren. Sources are listed for verification and further reading. Encyclopedia text is used under its licence (CC BY-SA). How we work